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Fabian Imhoff
Fabian Imhoff (1939-) was Chancellor of Germany from 2000 to 2002, preceding Katharina Borst. Biography Fabian Imhoff was born in Berlin, Germany in 1939. He was active in the trade movement and the SPD for decades before becoming leader of the SPD in 2000. In the 2000 general election, his party tied with the FDP for the largest in Parliament, winning 28.09% of the vote and 10 seats while the FDP won 27.99% and 10 seats. In the leadership election which followed two weeks later, however, SPD MPs Lisa Sendler and Egon Vonmeier rebelled against the party and voted for FDP leader Katharina Borst for Prime Minister instead, leaving the leaders tied 17-17 and leaving Germany without a Prime Minister until mid-year. In the election that summer, the SDP's share of the vote slightly declined, but the party remained tied with the FDP with 10 seats, and Imhoff was elected Prime Minister in a vote of 20-13, having the backing of his party, Die Grunen, the NPD, and half of the FDP. Premiership Imhoff came into office during an economic boom caused by the approval of several new taxes. His government voted 31-0 to approve universal healthcare in late November 2000, but they failed in their attempt to secure party funding by a margin of 15-14 with 4 abstentions. In the elections at the start of 2001, the SPD placed first with 27.95% of the vote and 10 seats, while the FDP was reduced to 9 seats, Die Grunen and the CDU remained at 6, and the NPD picked up a fourth seat after winning 12.88% of the vote. The next leadership vote saw Imhoff receive another mandate to lead in a vote of 17-12. The Bundestag then approved a public smoking ban in a vote of 18-11, and he also passed a child benefit law and created an ambulance service. In the general election of mid-2001, the SPD was reduced to 9 seats and 26.23% of the vote, while the FDP won 8 seats and 24.2%, the NPD won 6 seats and 16.69%, Die Grunen won 6 seats and 16.62%, and the CDU won 6 seats and 16.27%. The increased NPD majority provided many votes to help Imhoff stay in power, and he enjoyed the support of Parliament in a 19-12 vote. The Bundestag then voted 29-2 to create retirement homes, but the government failed 18-13 to approve party funding. In late 2001, the Bundestag voted 23-6 to approve a housing tax. In the February 2002 general election, the SPD won 23.28% of the vote and 8 seats, the FDP won 22.98% and 8 seats, the NPD won 19.92% and 7 seats, Die Grunen won 17.05% and 6 seats, and CDU won 16.76% of the vote and 6 seats. Imhoff then won re-election in a 20-10 vote, backed by his party, Die Grunen, and the NPD. The government then successfully pushed for chancellor term limits, and the Bundestag approved the measure 20-8, with only the NPD opposing the bill. The SPD government failed to prevent gambling from being legalized in a measure of 17-10. In the mid-2002 general election, each of the parties tied at 7 seats. Unfortunately, FDP leader Katharina Borst and CDU leader Elena Wurst were the only two to qualify for the leadership contest, and Imhoff was forced to stand down after Borst was elected 23-11. He then stood down as party leader, and Anton Niemann replaced him. Category:1939 births Category:German politicians Category:Germans Category:Politicians Category:Agnostics Category:SPD members Category:German social democrats Category:Social democrats Category:German chancellors Category:Chancellors